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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/26199280">Distant Sky</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/aruelia/pseuds/aruelia'>aruelia</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Tertiary Timeline [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Persona 3, Persona Series</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Attempted Rape/Non-Con, Bisexual Female Character, Canon-Typical Violence, F/F, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Non-Graphic Rape/Non-Con, Prostitution, Suicidal Thoughts</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-08-30</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-06 07:12:51</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>14,418</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/26199280</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/aruelia/pseuds/aruelia</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>Chidori has regained her memories after a year of blissful ignorance. She leaves her boyfriend and the wonderful life that they share in order to return to the streets. Chidori reconciles with her past and begins to figure out what she wants for her future.</p>
<p>(Part of a series, but can be read standalone)</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Iori Junpei/Yoshino Chidori, Yoshino Chidori/Arisato Minako</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>The Tertiary Timeline [3]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1612738</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>6</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>12</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Distant Sky</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hello everyone!</p>
<p>WARNING: This fic is dark. Like. DARK. None of the stuff mentioned in this fic (trigger warnings in post note) is described explicitly, but most of it is heavily implied or mentioned. So, please be careful when you are reading it. Mind the tags. Take breaks if you need to. This was difficult for me to write, but it was necessary for the story I want to tell in the future.</p>
<p>With that being said, this fic is technically standalone, but I’d recommend reading at least the last chapter of the previous fic in this series, It Was Always You. However, if you don’t feel like it, or need a refresher, here’s what’s happening: Junpei and Chidori have been dating for a year and they are moving in with each other as Junpei is about to start college. Chidori looked at her old sketchbook, that Junpei had been hiding from her, and regained all of her memories. She jumped out of the window of her and Junpei’s apartment and just started running.</p>
<p>This fic consists of flashbacks and a linear story set over the course of March 12th, 2011. The flashbacks all have question marks as dates bc I doubt that Chidori was that concerned with keeping track of the dates when she was, uhh, trying not to die. If you are curious about an actual timeline, go ahead and follow my new writing tumblr as I will post it later today. I'll occasionally be posting headcannons or random drabbles on there. https://rueina.tumblr.com/</p>
<p>Okay, enough rambling. Without further ado, here’s Distant Sky!</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>White. All she could see was bright, industrial white lights. Her head was pounding and she could barely breathe and she could just faintly hear someone talking, but it sounded like they were underwater. </p>
<p>“...-dori? Chidori, can you hear me? Please, wake up!”</p>
<p>The young girl slowly tried to sit up, only to be hit with a wave of nausea and pain that caused her to pass out.</p>
<p>When she woke up again, she was in the arms of a sleeping dark haired teenager. The girl looked up to see a young woman with short black hair that framed her freckled face in messy strands. The woman seemed perfectly normal until she woke up and revealed her startling purple eyes.</p>
<p>The girl yelped and tried to scramble away, but the older girl just tightened her grip. The woman began to gently stroke her hair and whispered, “Chidori, it’s okay. It’s just me, Shion. You’re safe now. I.... I won’t let them hurt you ever again.”</p>
<p>The young girl, whose name was apparently Chidori, didn’t believe her.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori had been running for hours. She had started running in the cover of night and could now see the sun peaking out over the horizon. At some point her feet had started bleeding, but like most painful things, she barely noticed. </p>
<p>The alleyways she passed were slowly but surely becoming more familiar and she felt certain that she’d soon be back home.</p>
<p>
  <em> This isn’t home. Home is wherever Junpei is. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori ignored her traitorous thoughts and started to run faster.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>When Chidori was stable enough to hold a conversation, the older woman, Shion, explained everything to her. Apparently, they were part of something called the Strega Project and scientists had been experimenting on them for the better part of a year. Shion didn’t know why they had been taken or what the scientists goals were, but she did know that people who lost their memories had a much better life expectancy than those who didn’t. </p>
<p>“Why?” Chidori questioned.</p>
<p>“If you lose your memories, that means you’ve developed a Persona. Those with Personas are more useful than those who don’t, and if the scientists decide you’re useless...” Shion trailed off, but Chidori heard her unspoken words.</p>
<p>
  <em>They'll kill you.</em>
</p>
<p>Shion told her all about Personas and Shadows and how these scientists were crazy enough to test their theories on helpless children. The children who developed Personas often also experienced physical changes, mostly regarding their hair and eye color. In some rare cases, gaining a Persona came with a loss of vision, hearing, or both. However, it was undeniable that developing a Persona meant that you were lucky, regardless of the side effects. Most children either died before they could develop a Persona or only developed a partial Persona that would eventually drive them insane. </p>
<p>“You don’t need to worry about that, though. I can tell Medea is strong.”</p>
<p>“Wha-! How do you know her name?”</p>
<p>Despite everything, Shion gave her a wide, toothy grin. “My Persona, Hestia, gives me information about other people’s Personas. For example, I can tell that Medea can use fire and dark magic skills, and that she’s a really amazing healer.”</p>
<p>They spent the rest of the day talking about their hopes and dreams, their biggest fears, and everything in between. Even though Chidori couldn’t remember her past, she understood why Shion and her had been so close. There was a natural connection between them, almost like they were family instead of two girls were coincidentally thrust into the same hellish nightmare. </p>
<p>By the time the rest of the kids in the room were starting to lay down in their cots, Chidori was half asleep in Shion’s arms. She was warm and comfortable and far too happy considering her situation. </p>
<p>“Goodnight, mom,” she murmured.</p>
<p>She fell asleep before she heard Shion’s response.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>Thinking of her friend brought tears to Chidori’s eyes. Shion, who had only been 17 when she was kidnapped, who had always been willing to take care of her. Shion, who had taught her to stand up for herself, who told her to never forget that she was more than just a number. Shion, who had been dead for over a decade, who she would never see again.</p>
<p><em> I wonder what she would think of me now. She sacrificed herself so that I could live, and </em> this <em> is how I’m repaying her? </em></p>
<p>Before Chidori could continue that line of thinking, she saw a familiar building. It was a dingy old brick apartment building that had been abandoned several years ago. Or, as she used to call it, home.</p>
<p>She had been worried that by now the building would have been destroyed or that they may have moved to a new location, but her fears dissipated when she walked in. Everything was exactly where she had remembered it being, though there was much more dust and grime than when she had lived here. Chidori rolled her eyes.</p>
<p>
  <em> As much as Takaya and Jin would deny it, I always knew that they would fall apart without me. I’ll make sure to yell at them when they get back home. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori grabbed a nearby rag and idly began to clean.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for Chidori to adjust, or more accurately <em> readjust, </em>to life in the Strega Project. The horn would signal them to wake up, they’d be called one by one to have their “treatment,” they’d eat a meal, maybe two if they were lucky, and they’d head to bed when everyone else did. It was boring and scary and awful, but at least she had Shion.</p>
<p>Shion always gave her a sad smile when Chidori said things like that. Whenever Chidori questioned it, Shion would simply say, “It wasn’t always just us.” Chidori could never figure out what Shion was talking about, and it always made her sad, so Chidori soon stopped bringing it up. </p>
<p>Chidori was fine with it being the two of them, and figured it would always be that way until she met Jin and Takaya. It was on a rare day when the scientists let them go outside for a few hours. The courtyard of the lab was fenced in and only had weeds and a few trees, but to the members of the Strega Project, it was heaven. She and Shion had been drawing in the dirt when a boy stumbled into them.</p>
<p>“Hey! Watch where you’re going next time!”</p>
<p>“I-I’m sorry! I didn’t mean to! I can’t really see...”</p>
<p>Shion’s face softened, “You need glasses, don’t you?”</p>
<p>“Ye-Yes, I do. I had some, but the scientists took them away.”</p>
<p>“Damn assholes,” Shion swore. </p>
<p>The boy stilled at her cursing, but soon gave the girls a small smile and introduced himself as Jin. </p>
<p>The three had only been talking for a few minutes when a tall boy with white hair approached them. Upon seeing him, Jin lit up and exclaimed, “Oh! This is my friend, Takaya. Takaya, this is Shion and this is Chidori.”</p>
<p>Takaya looked to be about Shion’s age, but he had a quality that made him seem much older. Takaya gave them an easy smile, but his eyes were icy. “Hello. I hope we get along.”</p>
<p>Though their introduction was a bit awkward, Chidori and Shion soon found themselves spending more and more time with the boys. They became a sort of family amidst the trauma of the Strega Project, with Shion and Takaya as the loving, but stern, parents, Jin as the dorky older brother, and Chidori as the stubborn little sister. It wasn’t normal by any means, but it was <em> nice. </em> And in the Strega Project, anything even remotely nice was worth protecting.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>By the time the sun was up, she had dusted and wiped down nearly every usable surface in the building and she had been about to sweep the floor when she stumbled upon a small black book. Instantly, her heart seized; Takaya never went anywhere without his journal.</p>
<p>Hands shaking, she grabbed the notebook. Takaya had always forbidden her or Jin from looking in his journal, but this was the only chance Chidori had to find out where they were.</p>
<p>
  <em> ...Or what happened to them. </em>
</p>
<p>Most of the pages had been scratched out and made illegible, much to Chidori’s disappointment. Takaya had always been an incredibly private person, and Chidori would have loved to have an insight into his mind. The parts of the journal that she could read were fairly mundane, just recaps of his day or how much money they needed to stay afloat the next week.</p>
<p>The last page in the journal was the only page that was completely legible, and it contained a single sentence that sent familiar chills up Chidori’s spine.</p>
<p>
  <em> Tonight we will protect Nyx or die trying. </em>
</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori didn’t know exactly how long she had been in the Strega Project, but she knew that it had been at least two years or so since she had awoken to her Persona. Her body had slowly but surely began to change, both from normal puberty but also from Medea’s presence. Her eyes had turned from a dark brown to a startling gold on the day that Medea had been born, and her hair had begun to turn a deep red soon after. She had also grown taller, though she was still unfairly short compared to her other companions, and she had started to lose some of her baby fat. Overall, she looked like your normal preteen girl who had been experimented on for a quarter of her life.</p>
<p>However, it was her mind that had experienced the most changes. Since she developed, Chidori could always feel Medea’s presence in the back of her mind. In the beginning, Medea didn’t say much, merely whispering nonsense. As the days passed, Medea’s voice became clearer and clearer in her mind, and eventually she couldn’t think anything without Medea interjecting with her own opinion. It could be annoying sometimes, but most of the time, Chidori was grateful for her company.</p>
<p>Chidori quickly realized that she was one of the last children that had the chance to develop a full Persona. Soon after Medea was born, the scientists rounded up all of the children who hadn’t gained a Persona and hurried them out of the main living area of the lab. They said that the children would have one last chance to prove their worth to the Strega Project. </p>
<p>Chidori never saw any of them again.</p>
<p>That left only about fifty children in the Strega Project, and that number grew smaller everyday. Seemingly overnight, the scientists developed a fascination with seeing the children fight each other, sometimes even to the death. Shion told her that she would do everything in her power to protect Chidori. Takaya told her that she would be strong enough to survive against anyone else here. Jin told her that he was scared too. Medea told her that it was kill or be killed. Chidori just wanted everyone to be quiet.</p>
<p>One day, as they were trying to fall asleep, the entire world shifted on its axis. The air grew stagnant, all of the electricity stopped working, and everything around them was tinted a sickly shade of green. The remaining members of the Strega Project began to panic, none of them having any idea of what was going on and all of them thinking that they were going to die. Medea was screaming in her head, telling her to kill everyone and escape while she had the chance. Chidori curled into a ball and sobbed, as her makeshift family simultaneously tried to comfort her and combat their own demons at the same time. And then, as soon as it had started, the world returned to normal.</p>
<p>The scientists later gave them a name for that strange period of time: the Dark Hour. It was a time where their Personas would become strong enough to be physically manifested and where Shadows could roam free. The scientists told them that it was their job to save the world, and that they could only do this by surviving Tartarus.</p>
<p>The scientists never gave them any information on where or what Tartarus was until only ten of them remained. For the first time since being kidnapped, the scientists allowed the children to leave the laboratory. Under the cover of night, the children were led through winding alleyways and dimly lit streets until they eventually reached Tartarus. Chidori thought that the tower was the most horrifically beautiful thing she had ever seen, and was caught between her desire to draw it and her fear of what might be in store for them inside.</p>
<p>They were led up the stairs and into the first floor of Tartarus. The scientists gave them no instructions on what they were supposed to do or how they should best survive, simply saying, “The last person left alive will be allowed to leave. Good luck,” before heading back into the safety of the lobby. </p>
<p>This left the ten remaining Strega Project children alone in the entrance of a labyrinth. Some of the children immediately distanced themselves from the group, others immediately broke down, the realization that the scientists had left them to die causing them to crack under the fear. </p>
<p>Chidori looked around at her family and was terrified that they all seemed as lost as she was. The four kids stared at each other in silence for several long minutes, until Takaya’s face grew determined.</p>
<p>“We are going to escape tonight or die trying.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori couldn’t tear her eyes away from the page, even after her tears began to fall. As much as she didn’t want to believe it, she knew the truth. She knew, somewhere deep in her heart, that they were dead. </p>
<p>She collapsed onto the nearby bed and began to sob. She knew they were both running on borrowed time, but they would have still been alive if they hadn’t been so dedicated to their “mission.” The last time Chidori had ever seen the two men that she considered her family was when Takaya had murdered Junpei. She never got to say goodbye to them or to apologize or to yell at them for everything they put her through. And now, she never would.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>It didn’t take them long to come up with a plan. They’d separate into pairs and search for weapons, taking care to avoid any other children they came across in case they had turned violent. Chidori hated to believe that any of the kids that she had lived with for the past few years would be willing to kill her, but she also wasn’t naive enough to ignore the reality of human nature. In the end, it’s every man for themselves.</p>
<p>The boys decided to take the left hallway, while the girls began to walk along the path going right. Her whole body was trembling, and she was incredibly relieved to have Shion with her. Even though Shion’s Persona couldn’t fight, Shion herself had become adept at using axes and knives, something Chidori had never tried to learn. Whenever Chidori held a sharp object, Medea would always try to get her to use it, either on herself or on one of her friends. The overwhelming bloodlust Chidori felt while holding a weapon made her determined to never use one and instead rely solely on Medea’s magic. </p>
<p>She quickly realized that would not be an option when they stumbled upon their first corpse. The girl (#074, Chidori thought distantly) had a single bullet wound to her head. Her eyes were open and bloodshot and utterly lifeless. In her hands, she held a small hatchet and a large dagger. Shion reached down and grabbed the weapons, her sheet white face the only sign of her discomfort.</p>
<p>Shion handed Chidori the hatchet and before Chidori could protest, her pseudo mother gave her a stern look. “Chidori, I know that Medea scares you when you have access to a sharp object, but right now, we need to do whatever we can to keep us alive. If anything happens to me, I want-“</p>
<p>“Stop. Don’t finish that thought. Now, c’mon, let’s go find the boys.”</p>
<p>Shion squeezed her hand and gave her a small smile. They turned around and began heading back to the entrance, but they quickly realized that they were not going to be able to walk back without any confrontation. </p>
<p>Upon entering the next room, they came face to face with a boy covered in blood. His eyes were bright, sickly green, as if he had been consumed by the Dark Hour. A large smile spread across his face and he began to laugh maniacally. </p>
<p>He raised his sword and the fight was on.</p>
<p>Chidori stood frozen, terrified at the sight of Shion and the unhinged boy dueling. The sounds of their blades crashing echoed throughout the walls of Tartarus. After a few long minutes, the boy started to run away. Shion tilted her head in confusion, but eventually let her tense shoulders relax. She slowly turned around, the hint of a smile on her lips, a witty quip at the tip of her tongue, when-</p>
<p>
  <em> BANG BANG BANG </em>
</p>
<p>Shion collapsed to the ground, the bullet wounds causing blood to flow out of her chest like a river. Chidori was by her side in an instant, Medea’s healing powers flowing through her. Chidori concentrated harder than she ever had in her entire life, screaming both out loud and in her mind, begging for Medea to save her closest friend.</p>
<p>After a few, painful moments, Shion took hold of Chidori’s hand and moved it away from her wounds. “Chidori... Please, stop.”</p>
<p>“No!” Chidori yelled, tears streaming down her face, “I can save you, Shion! Please!”</p>
<p>“No, Chidori, you can’t. It’s too late for me, but it’s only the beginning for you,” Shion gave her a watery smile. </p>
<p>“Wh-What?! Why are you talking about? Please, let me help you.”</p>
<p>“You’ve already helped me more than you can ever know. You were the sister I always wanted, the friend I always, hah, needed, and the daughter I-I'll never get to have. Thank you, Chidori.”</p>
<p>“No! Shion, please don’t leave me!”</p>
<p>“I’m proud of you, Chidori. Stay safe. I love you... So much...”</p>
<p>“Shion!”</p>
<p>But there was no response from Shion. Instead, the hysterical laughter of the green-eyed boy from earlier filled her ears. Her blood boiled, rage consuming her.</p>
<p><em> He killed Shion. He killed your best friend. He killed your </em> mother. <em> Are you going to let him get away with that? </em></p>
<p>Medea continued to whisper in her ears, influencing her mind until the only thing she could think of was revenge. Her legs began to move, slowly at first, but eventually she was sprinting towards the boy. When he saw her, he began to fire his gun. Chidori knew that she had been hit at least once, but she couldn’t feel anything. The only thing on her mind was Shion.</p>
<p>When she got in range of the boy (#055, who always smuggled her paper to draw on, who loved puns, who cried himself to sleep every night), she tightened her grip on her hatchet, closed her eyes, and <em> swung. </em></p>
<p>The hatchet cut deep into the meat of his right thigh and he let out a bloodcurdling scream. A part of Chidori was horrified that she caused that kind of pain, but a larger part of her reveled in it. He killed Shion, so he deserved it and much more. She pulled the hatchet out and swung it again and again and again.</p>
<p>Her vision went red. Her mind went blank. The only thing she could hear was Medea’s laughter.</p>
<p>And that noise was heavenly.</p>
<p>The next thing she knew, Chidori was outside. She was in strong, warm arms and could feel the cool night breeze tickling her neck. She could faintly make out her companions' conversation.</p>
<p>“Freedom feels bittersweet without Shion here.”</p>
<p>“Yes, it does. Although, I think Chidori got her revenge.”</p>
<p>“No kidding. I can’t believe she hacked that kid’s legs off!”</p>
<p>Chidori tensed. That couldn’t be true. There was no way that she was capable of something that horrible, even with Medea’s influence. She refused to believe it.</p>
<p>Until she blinked.</p>
<p>Then she saw him, #055, writhing in pain, shrieking and moaning as she cut into his leg over and over again. When she managed to break the bone of his right leg, he begged for her to be merciful and kill him quickly. She didn’t respond and simply moved to his left.</p>
<p>Chidori twisted herself out of Takaya’s arms just in time for her to vomit. She sobbed uncontrollably, grieving the loss of Shion, the loss of her innocence, the loss of her sanity, the loss of <em> everything- </em></p>
<p>
  <em> You haven’t lost me, child. In fact, we are closer than ever. You finally listened to me. I’m proud of you. Now... Stand up. </em>
</p>
<p>Robotically, Chidori did as her Persona commanded. Takaya and Jin gave her a concerned look, but she simply waved them off and said, “I just need a shower.”</p>
<p>They walked the rest of the night in silence.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>A few hours later, Chidori took a deep breath, wiped away her tears, and slowly stood up from the bed. The feeling of grief was one that she was all too used to, and she knew better than anyone how dangerous it could be when unrestrained. Loss is the biggest risk of human connection and the main reason she avoided it for so many years.</p>
<p>
  <em> How ironic. Takaya always told me that attachments only lead to pain, and here I am grieving over him. He’d probably call me pathetic. </em>
</p>
<p>As morbid as that thought was, it was the first thing that made her smile since leaving Junpei that morning. At the thought of her boyfriend, a wave of regret washed over her. </p>
<p>
  <em> I can’t believe I just... left him. He probably hates me now. Still, I owe him an explanation. I can’t run from my problems forever. </em>
</p>
<p>With that thought in her mind, she grabbed one of Jin’s old sweatshirts, put Takaya’s notebook in its pocket, and walked out of the door.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori couldn’t remember much about the weeks after their escape. The night they escaped, they stumbled upon a rundown apartment building that they quickly decided would be a perfect new home for them. Well, Jin and Takaya decided it was perfect; Chidori was too busy trying to wash the blood off of her body to contribute.</p>
<p>The blood on her arms and legs came off fairly easy. The blood in her hair took a bit more scrubbing, but it too eventually swirled down the drain. It was the blood on her hands that she could never seem to get rid of.</p>
<p>She sat in the shower for hours, rubbing her hands together until they were raw. When that didn’t work, she tried the sink. She washed her hands until she couldn’t feel them anymore and then washed them some more. Chidori spent days on end alternating between the sink and the shower, only stopping when Jin or Takaya forced her to eat. </p>
<p>Medea quickly grew tired of her constant washing. She whispered that Chidori should embrace the bloodstains and listen to her vengeful thoughts. </p>
<p>
  <em> You’re already a killer. What’s one more death on your hands? </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori was able to shake her off until Jin’s Persona tried to kill him. Watching Moros strangle his handler made Chidori feel fear for the first time since their escape. She froze, terrified that she was going to have to watch another one of her friends die, but breathed a sigh of relief when Takaya shoved a suppressant in Jin’s mouth.</p>
<p>Jin recovered a few minutes later, but both him and Takaya looked anything but happy. When Chidori questioned him, Takaya informed her that that was their last suppressant. They had no future, no way to escape their fate; they only had as long as their Personas tolerated them.</p>
<p>
  <em> I can help you, but you’ll have to do exactly what I say. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori instantly agreed. She was already at Medea’s mercy, so she might as well do everything she could to help her friends.</p>
<p>That night, Chidori killed for the second time. She jumped a scientist right outside of the lab and threatened to kill him if he didn’t take her where the suppressants were kept. Then, when he showed her, she killed him anyway.</p>
<p>Takaya and Jin were surprised to see her return with several bottles of suppressants, and immediately began to bombard her with questions.</p>
<p>She was too busy washing her hands to answer them.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>The walk back to the apartment was awful. Her thin nightgown did little to protect her from the damp March weather, and even the extra addition of Jin’s sweatshirt wasn’t enough to keep her warm. Still, she continued on.</p>
<p>She grew conflicted when she reached the train station. Realistically, she knew that she should ride the train to the station that was less than a mile from their apartment. Chidori had more than enough money for a ticket, and even though her outfit was unconventional, she had little doubt that they would let her ride. But, even though Chidori had ridden on a train literally the day prior, she couldn’t bring herself to go near one now.</p>
<p>
  <em> It’s funny that Junpei and I met at the train station. I only ever went there to torture myself on Medea’s request, yet I ended up finding the best thing in my life there. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori gave the station one last look before continuing on her way.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>By the second winter after they had escaped the Strega Project, Chidori had murdered eight more people, bringing her total body count to ten. Though she hated the act of killing people, she couldn’t deny that the righteousness she felt every time she murdered a scientist who tortured her for years was addicting. Especially when she knew that her only other option was death at Medea’s hands.</p>
<p>Chidori would never forget the first, and only, time she denied one of Medea’s requests. Chidori had been out late at night, rummaging around for food, when she stumbled upon Dr. Happy, the most notorious scientist at the Strega Project. Though Chidori couldn’t remember ever having to face his wrath, Medea became enraged at the sight of him and ordered her to strike him down. Chidori protested and reminded Medea that they agreed that she would only kill out of necessity, but that just made Medea angrier. </p>
<p>The next thing that Chidori knew, she was curled up in a ball on the dingy alley floor. She could feel Medea’s arms around her neck, squeezing so tight that Chidori’s vision went white. Chidori tried to fight her off, tried to breathe, tried to do <em> anything, </em> but she was utterly helpless.</p>
<p><em> How dare you defy me?! I’ve saved your life countless times, child, and </em> this <em> is how you choose to repay me?! You will pay for your betrayal! </em></p>
<p>“St-Stop!” Chidori desperately choked out, “Please! I-I’m sorry!”</p>
<p>The pressure on her throat let up as suddenly as it had arrived. Chidori took several large, gasping breaths until she felt sure that she could stand without passing out. The minute she did, Medea’s piercing voice shot through her skull.</p>
<p>
  <em> All is forgiven. Remember, child, I’ll never leave your side... </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori never figured out whether that was supposed to be a comfort or a threat. She just stood up, dusted herself off, and eliminated her target.</p>
<p>From that day onward, Chidori did everything Medea asked of her. Most of the time, her whims were fairly easy to satisfy: go steal that pretty dress, don’t eat anything today, make yourself bleed. But other times, Chidori was forced to spend weeks alone, as she wandered the streets looking for a scientist to kill. Medea cheerfully whispered to her that she could just kill anyone, but Chidori never wanted to hurt anyone unaffiliated with the Strega Project. She believed that everyone outside of Strega was innocent, something Chidori never was and never would be again.</p>
<p>The last time Chidori killed someone was on a cold December night. She was on a train to the middle of Tokyo with the goal of eliminating her next target, Shuji Ikutsuki. Ikutsuki was a high ranking scientist in the Strega Project, and though she had never met him, she had received intel that he was one of the worst men involved in the project. </p>
<p>She had been sitting alone in a nearly empty car when she was approached by two men. They were at least three times her age and, despite her powers, she couldn’t help but feel intimidated by them. Though they were both smiling, their eyes were cold.</p>
<p>“Hey, pretty girl. What are you doing out so late at night?”</p>
<p>Chidori pointedly ignored him, causing both men to laugh. They pestered her for several more minutes, asking her personal questions or making comments about her appearance, and even though she was obviously uncomfortable, this only seemed to motivate them to continue.</p>
<p>Chidori got off at the next stop, even though she was nowhere near her destination. She had hoped that the men were just harassing her because it was convenient, but as they followed her off of the train, she realized that their intentions were much more sinister. She began to walk at a rather quick pace, trying to put as much distance between her and the men as possible. A glance at her watch told her that she only had to avoid them for another ten minutes; she’d be able to evade them while they were transmogrified in the Dark Hour.</p>
<p>She turned into a nearby alley and cursed her luck when she realized it was a dead end. The men turned the corner a few seconds later and began to laugh at her panicked expression.</p>
<p>“Nowhere to run, huh? Or, maybe you just wanted some privacy so that we could have some fun with you without being caught. What a good whore you are...”</p>
<p>They crept closer and closer to her, predatory eyes blatantly staring at every inch of her body.</p>
<p>“N-No... Please, don’t!”</p>
<p>But the men simply laughed. One of them reached out his hand to grab her and a jolt of adrenaline shot through her body. In a flash, she grabbed her hatchet and sliced cleanly through his hand. Before he could scream, she had slit his throat and he fell dead to the ground. The other man looked horrified and started to back away, but he didn’t make it more than a foot away from her before a knife landed in his heart and he crumpled in a heap to the ground. Chidori was numb, her mind still too foggy to process any of what just happened.</p>
<p>
  <em> What the hell did you just do?! You utter failure. You broke your own rule: never kill an innocent. You can’t do anything right. You deserve to die. </em>
</p>
<p>Medea continued to berate her, but Chidori was barely listening. Static filled her head as she stared at the bloody corpses of men who hadn’t even done anything to her. Sure, they would have, but Chidori could have done something else to stop them. But instead, she did the one thing she swore she would never do. She had officially become the monster she had always feared she was.</p>
<p>A few long minutes later, the Dark Hour set in. Emotionlessly, Chidori summoned Medea and commanded her to burn the bodies. Though Medea was unhappy, she complied. Once there was no evidence left of her crime, Chidori set off to find someplace to wash herself off, when a command from Medea stopped her dead in her tracks.</p>
<p>
  <em> Don’t wash the blood off. Wear it as a sign of your disgusting act. Ride the train back home. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori wanted to protest, wanted to say that she’d get caught, wanted to say something, <em> anything, </em> but she knew her Persona wouldn’t change her mind.</p>
<p>She had just enough time before the Dark Hour was over to steal a large sweatshirt that covered the majority of the blood splatter and make it back to the train station. Chidori was incredibly relieved that the few people in the station didn’t give her a second glance, but her anxiety was still at an all time high. She was terrified that someone would notice that she was drenched in blood and realize that she was a horrible, disgusting excuse for a human being.</p>
<p>
  <em> But you are, child. You are a killer. You are a monster. You are unforgivable. </em>
</p>
<p>When she finally made it home, Takaya and Jin were still awake. Jin gave her a small smile and asked her a question, but Chidori didn’t understand a word he said. Without sparing them a second glance, she walked calmly to her bathroom, stepped into the shower, and cried for the first time in years.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>After almost a full day of walking, Chidori realized that every step forward was bringing her into more and more familiar territory. She began to recognize the various streets and landmarks she was passing and figured that she only had about an hour or so of walking to go before she would be back at the apartment. </p>
<p>A few minutes after the sun had descended from the sky, she stumbled across a dimly lit bar. The brick exterior was worn and clearly weathered, but, through the windows, Chidori could see that the interior was brightly lit and fairly empty. She hadn’t had alcohol in over a year and the idea of facing Junpei completely sober was a bit terrifying. She figured that, at best, the bartender would take pity on her and let her buy some food and a drink (or three) without her ID, and at worst, she’d just have to leave. Either way, the chance to sit down and rest for a second was enough for her to walk over to the door, but before she could push it open, a wave of anxiety rushed over her.</p>
<p>
  <em> The last time I was in a bar like this, I was... Ugh, Chidori, stop being so stupid. No one is going to recognize you. Just be normal. </em>
</p>
<p>She took a deep breath and entered the bar.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Though Takaya and Jin were far from perfect guardians, in the beginning, they did everything they could to protect Chidori from the horrors of their reality. Jin hid his murder for hire website from her for years and never once asked her to participate. Takaya always made sure that she had enough to eat, even if it meant that he had to go hungry in her place. Both of them tried to let her grow up as normal as possible, given their situation.</p>
<p>They never told her when they were running low on cash, but it was always obvious to Chidori. They’d be gone for hours in the day, looking for a place to work that would hire teenagers with no identification or education, and, when that inevitably failed, they’d do it again at night. Jin would start biting his lip and Takaya would lose his temper incredibly fast. The entire atmosphere in their apartment became tense.</p>
<p>In the past, Medea would have commanded Chidori to murder someone and steal their money. It would kill two birds with one stone; Medea would get to see the blood she loved so much and Chidori would be able to help out her makeshift family. </p>
<p>However, after the incident with the men from the train, Medea never asked her to kill again. Chidori was making herself bleed so much nowadays that Medea’s craving for violence was almost always sated.</p>
<p>It didn’t take long for Chidori to realize that she would need to find some other way to make money for her family to stay afloat. She tried finding a normal job, but most of them took one look at her young face and thin frame and turned her away. She scavenged through dumpsters and begged on the streets, but most days came up empty handed. Chidori had been about to give up hope when she stumbled into the wrong place at the right time. </p>
<p>She had been on her way back home when a man in a fancy black car pulled up beside her. He looked to be about 50 and had neatly groomed facial hair. He rolled down his window and gave her a shy smile, “Hey, hun. How much?”</p>
<p>Chidori tilted her head in confusion. How much for what? She wasn’t selling anything. When she told the man as much, he made a face, rolled up his window and sped away.</p>
<p>It was only several minutes later that Chidori realized what he was talking about: sex. He had thought that she was a prostitute. She gritted her teeth as a familiarly painful memory filled her mind.</p>
<p>
  <em> What a good whore you are... </em>
</p>
<p>She shook the thoughts out of her head and willed herself to ignore Medea’s whispers.</p>
<p>Months passed and things were getting desperate. Jin and Takaya fought nearly every night, loud screaming matches that made Chidori’s head pound. The trio often went days without eating and sometimes even had to survive without water. Chidori spent her time sleeping or cutting herself, too fatigued to do anything else, even draw.</p>
<p>One night, when the fighting got more intense than Chidori had ever heard, she found herself on a secluded street corner. She had just been planning on walking around to clear her head, when a man approached her. She tensed and put her hand on the handle of her hatchet. </p>
<p>“Hey. What’s your price?” A wide, confident smile spread across the man’s face. </p>
<p>Chidori had been about to yell at the man or turn and run away when she noticed the large wad of cash in his hand. She couldn’t tell exactly how much he was holding, but she knew that, at this point, even a few hundred yen could make a difference in her family’s chance of survival.</p>
<p>“How about ten thousand yen for your mouth, Lolita?”</p>
<p>Chidori’s eyes went wide. Ten thousand yen would be enough to keep them fed for a week, and she had the opportunity to make that much money in one night. Before she could talk herself out of it, she nodded.</p>
<p>And thus, her life as Lolita began.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>The bar was dry and warm, a nice contrast to the weather she had been stuck in all day. She gave the bartender a small smile and took a seat at the stool in front of him. “I’d love a glass of whatever is cheapest.”</p>
<p>The bartender stared at her for a long moment, and she had resigned herself to being kicked out when he gave her a friendly smile, “Sure!”</p>
<p>Chidori let out a sigh. Now, at least she wouldn’t have to confront Junpei completely sober. The bartender gave her a wry look as he started to pour her drink, “Let me guess: relationship trouble?”</p>
<p>“H-How did you know?”</p>
<p>He laughed, “Most people only come here when they are avoiding a difficult conversation with someone they love.”</p>
<p>Chidori blushed but said nothing to deny his claim. He began to ramble about other customers and she effortlessly tuned him out. Normally, she tried to at least pretend to care when others were speaking to her, but she was too preoccupied with thinking about how she was going to begin to apologize to Junpei.</p>
<p>
  <em> Hey, babe! I’m sorry I ran out on you last night. Also, I’m sorry that you’ve wasted so much time on a monster like me. Also, I’m sorry I’m a serial killer. Also, I’m sorry I was a prostitute. Also, I’m sorry- </em>
</p>
<p>“Here you go!” The bartender handed her a glass filled with a light peach colored liquid. “I know you said that you wanted something cheap, but you looked like you needed something a bit stronger, so I made you my favorite custom cocktail. It’s sweet and salty and guaranteed to get you tipsy enough for whatever you came here for.” </p>
<p>Chidori smiled and reached into her sweatshirt pocket to grab some cash, but the bartender waved her off, “No need. It’s on the house.”</p>
<p>“Wow... Thank you. I really appreciate your kindness.”</p>
<p>“Trust me, I should be the one thanking you.”</p>
<p>Her eyebrows furrowed in confusion, but she didn’t question him until she took a small sip of her drink. The minute the liquid hit her tongue, she recoiled, the overly salty taste all too familiar.</p>
<p>
  <em> He tried to drug me... </em>
</p>
<p>In an instant, she was out of her seat and making her way to the door. Right as she was about to grab the handle, the door swung open, revealing the man she hated more than anyone in the world.</p>
<p>The Chemist gave her a cold smile, “Long time, no see. Hello, my little Lolita.”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori’s life soon fell into a steady routine: wake up, draw, eat, turn some tricks, shower, repeat. It was boring, but Chidori knew better than most people that there were worse things than a monotonous life. Sometimes she got herself in some dangerous situations, which was to be expected considering her line of work, but she was always able to get herself out of them without anyone being gravely hurt. </p>
<p>Then she met The Chemist.</p>
<p>It was a normal night and Chidori had just entered Lotus, the bar where she ended up finding most of her customers. She saw many familiar faces and a ghost of a smile spread across her lips as she realized that she would likely make a decent amount of money that night. </p>
<p>She sat down at the bar and gave the bartender a wink. He gave her a fond smile and started making her usual, no ID or money required. The bartender was an older man who had always tried his best to help her out when he could. He never once asked for her services and was always the first to step in when one of her customers got too aggressive. </p>
<p>After downing her drink, she began to make her way around the bar, a coy smile plastered across her face. Though she wouldn’t say that she particularly <em> enjoyed </em> her job, sometimes it was fun to see men turn into mindless animals just at her flirty jokes. It made her feel powerful in a way she had never felt before.</p>
<p>Chidori had been chatting with one of her regulars when she was gently tapped on the shoulder. She turned to see a well dressed, conventionally attractive man in his late thirties giving her a smirk. He leaned down to whisper in her ear, “I’ll give you 100,000 yen if you’ll come back to my apartment with me.”</p>
<p>Her eyes widened. Most of her customers paid around 10,000 to 20,000 yen for her services, so 100,000 yen was unheard of. She usually never did house calls, as they were far more dangerous than just using the back room of the bar, but 100,000 yen would be enough money to keep her family afloat for weeks. Chidori gave him a smirk, “That’s a big claim. I’ll need some proof first.”</p>
<p>The man gave her an easy smile and handed her a large stack of yen from his pocket. She carefully sifted through the money, but eventually came to the conclusion that she was holding 20 genuine 50,000 yen bills, more money than she had ever had at one time in her life. </p>
<p>
  <em> Do it. If he’s being honest, you’ll end up with a good amount of money. If he’s lying, you’ll probably end up dead. It’s a win-win. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori couldn’t argue with Medea’s logic, so she wrapped herself around the man’s arm and allowed herself to be led outside to his sleek, black sports car. As they turned out of the bar parking lot, she suddenly realized that this was the first time she could ever remember riding in a car. She stared out of the passenger window, lost in the blurred lights of the buildings they passed. It was oddly thrilling to experience the city that she knew so well in a completely new way.</p>
<p>“Do you want a soda?” The man’s voice startled her out of her trance.</p>
<p>“No. Thank you, though.”</p>
<p>“Please. I insist,” The man was stern, and the way he spoke left no room for argument. Chidori nodded and grabbed the bottle sitting in the cup holder nearest to her. She was surprised at how easy it was to open, but didn’t think too much about it. Chidori took a small sip and moved her hand to his thigh.</p>
<p>“It’s delicious. Thank you, Mr...?”</p>
<p>“You can call me The Chemist.”</p>
<p>“The Chemist?” Many of Chidori’s clients used fake names, for obvious reasons, but she had never heard one this bizarre. </p>
<p>The Chemist laughed, “Yes. I know it's a little odd, but in my line of work, you have to be careful. Plus, it’s not like you have any room to talk, ‘Lolita.’”</p>
<p>“Fair,” Chidori took another sip, her soda tasting a bit odd. “What do you do for your job? Does it involve science?”</p>
<p>“No. I’m actually a businessman.”</p>
<p>“Oh, interesting. Where do you work?” Chidori found herself growing tired, but willed herself to stay focused.</p>
<p>“You’ll find out soon enough.”</p>
<p>“What... What does that... mean...?”</p>
<p>The world went dark, the sound of his laughter ringing in her ears.</p>
<p>When she woke up, the first thing that she noticed was the smell of blood. The metallic scent pierced her nostrils in a way that made her gag. Chidori sat up slowly and began to access the situation. She was in an alley, completely naked, and in a pool of what appeared to be her own blood. She felt the familiar warm-tingly-numb feeling that she got whenever her body used its powers to heal itself, but instead of it being in one isolated area, she felt it all over. Glancing down, she saw that her body was littered with cuts, burns, and bruises. It was clear that she had been abused for hours; a regular person would have likely died.</p>
<p>
  <em> Damnit, child. He was going to kill you, but you couldn’t even die right. What a failure. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori ignored her. </p>
<p>She closed her eyes and concentrated, trying to piece together her memories of the night before. She couldn’t remember much, but she saw flashes: being tied down with rope, a knife, some needles, and a dozen men standing over her. Chidori could almost pretend like it was just a bad dream, but the state of her body was more than enough evidence to prove that it was real.</p>
<p>A few minutes later, she stood up and exited the alley, her head pounding. She was only about a five minute walk from her apartment and it was still dark enough that she wouldn’t be seen by anyone who happened to pass by. </p>
<p>A quiet fury burned within her. This man, The Chemist, had drugged her, kidnapped her, tortured her, and left her for dead. He was truly evil, just like the scientists of the Strega Project. She silently resolved to kill him if she ever saw him again. Medea just laughed.</p>
<p>
  <em> Oh, child. We both know you’re too weak for that. </em>
</p>
<p>And, as much as Chidori hated to admit it, Medea was right. Chidori ran into the Chemist several more times after that. He’d go months without taking her, and right when she thought he was gone for good, he’d reappear. Each time, she would try to escape, but he’d inject her with a sedative that would leave her paralyzed and half conscious for hours. Sometimes she’d be able to remember what they did to her, but most times it was just a blur of grotesque laughter and roaming hands.</p>
<p>She wished he would just kill her.</p>
<p>Chidori was tired. She was tired of the paranoia, tired of having to make excuses to Takaya and Jin, tired of constantly having to cut herself in order to feel anything. Sometimes she thought about taking initiative and ending her own life, but she always stopped herself. Takaya and Jin often relied on Medea’s abilities to sense life for their missions. Her death would make their lives harder and that was no way to repay the men who had cared for her for so many years.</p>
<p>Chidori’s last encounter with The Chemist was by far the worst. He crept up behind her on her way to the bar and stabbed a syringe into her arm. Her body went limp, so used to the drug that she was already going pliant, but the mental fatigue that usually came with the sedative was gone. For the first time, she was completely alert.</p>
<p>The Chemist picked her up easily and began to carry her back to his car. He sat her down gently and took great care in buckling her in, like she was his daughter and not someone he had raped and tortured repeatedly. Once he was on the road, he began to gently stroke her hair and whispered, “If my formula is correct, then you should be able to understand me. If so, I want you to know something. I have no idea how you’ve managed to survive for this long, but that ends tonight. This will be the last time we meet; tonight, I will kill you, my little Lolita.”</p>
<p>The Chemist was determined to go through with his threat. For hours, he and his men used her. They took turns with her, alternating between raping her and cutting into her with their knives. Her fate was a game to them, and they laughed at her frozen body, knowing full well that her mind was still fully intact. </p>
<p>Chidori felt like she was on fire, her body aching and burning in a way she had never felt before. Eventually, she realized what she was feeling: pain. As far as she could remember, she had never truly felt physical pain, as the healing properties in her blood prevented her from feeling much of anything when she was injured. Despite the circumstances, this revelation actually made her somewhat happy; she hadn’t felt anything this strong in years.</p>
<p>However, the pain soon became too much and she slowly felt herself slipping into unconsciousness. In a strange way, she was glad that this was how her life was going to end. Though it would cause Takaya and Jin some troubles, they likely wouldn’t feel much sadness at her death and would move on with their lives. Medea would disappear from existence with the knowledge that she had failed to kill Chidori as she constantly threatened to do. Maybe her body would be found and give the police evidence to put The Chemist in jail.</p>
<p>
  <em> Shion... I’ll be with you soon. </em>
</p>
<p>With that thought in her mind, she relinquished her mind to the black abyss of sleep.</p>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>The Chemist stepped forward, forcing Chidori back into the bar. He was flanked by two of his men, both of whom were armed. “So... You somehow managed to survive for all of these years. Very impressive. Are you a witch, little Lolita?”</p>
<p>“Something like that,” Chidori snapped back, desperate to hide how terrified she was of the man.</p>
<p>“Well, we’ll have to remedy that, won’t we?” In a flash, he grabbed her arm and began to inject her with a syringe full of pale yellow liquid. Time slowed as Chidori watched the vial start to drain its liquid into her arm. Her body began to relax against her will, but a single thought kept her from becoming docile.</p>
<p>
  <em> Junpei. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori ripped the syringe out of her arm and ran towards the bar door. She could vaguely hear the men following her, heavy footsteps and obnoxious yelling filling her ears, but she never once looked back. She ran into the night, her legs working against the clock of the drug. </p>
<p><em> I need to make it back home. I need to see Junpei again. I need... No, I </em> want <em> to live. </em></p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori slowly opened her eyes and came face to face with the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. The girl had copper hair, deep brown eyes, and a galaxy of freckles on her cheekbones. She was also anxiously staring at Chidori as if she were a ghost.</p>
<p>
  <em> No, child. You did not die. You failed, yet again. </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori tried to sit up, but the girl put her hands on her shoulders and forced her to lay back down. “Please... You need to rest. Go back to sleep. I’ll be here until you wake up.”</p>
<p>And who was Chidori to deny a pretty girl’s commands?</p>
<p>The next time she awoke, the girl was gently running her fingers through Chidori’s hair. It reminded her of Shion, in a way, but Shion had never looked at her the way that this girl was looking at her now. There was a certain tenderness in her gaze that Chidori had never seen before.</p>
<p>The girl soon realized that she was awake and let out a yelp. She quickly retracted her hand, a bright blush spreading across her cheeks. “Sorry! I wasn’t trying to be weird, I promise. I was just trying to help you relax.”</p>
<p>“N-No, it’s okay. It was... nice.”</p>
<p>The girl gave her a brilliant smile, “Oh good! My name is Minako. It’s nice to meet you.”</p>
<p>“I’m Chidori. And... likewise.”</p>
<p>Minako’s expression turned more somber as she sat down at the edge of the bed. “Do you remember what happened to you?”</p>
<p>Chidori averted her gaze, “...Some of it.”</p>
<p>“I see... Well, I think you’ll make a full recovery. Nigi Mitama healed you up pretty good.”</p>
<p>“Uh, who?”</p>
<p>“Nigi Mitama. One of my Personas.”</p>
<p>Chidori’s eyes widened, “Y-You know about Personas?! Wait, you have <em> multiple </em> Personas?!”</p>
<p>“Yep!” Minako grinned and pulled down her sleeve to show Chidori her wrist. She had #022 branded on her arm in a familiar black script. “Us Strega survivors have to stick together, right?”</p>
<p>Minako quickly began to tell Chidori her story. Soon after being kidnapped by Strega, she had been chosen for a special experiment. Minako had apparently been born with the potential to develop a strong Persona, and had been removed from the main facility the day after she arrived. Minako was lucky that it didn’t take a lot of torture for her to develop her first Persona, Orpheus, and even luckier that she had the opportunity to escape shortly afterwards.</p>
<p>“One day, the scientist in charge of giving me meals forgot to lock my door. Once most of the scientists left for the day, I just slipped out. I felt like a secret agent!” </p>
<p>“That doesn’t explain how you somehow have more than one Persona.”</p>
<p>Minako blushed, “Actually, I don’t really understand that either. One night after I escaped, I was attacked by Shadows. They were strong to all of Orpheus’ attacks and I was terrified that they would kill me. But, then, out of nowhere, I heard a voice inside of my head. It was calling to me, telling me that it wanted to help. So, I did what it told me and ended up summoning Pixie. Since then, I’ve gained three more Personas.”</p>
<p>Chidori hummed, caught between admiration and disbelief. She had never heard of someone with more than one Persona, let alone five, but something about Minako made Chidori desperately want to trust her. </p>
<p>The girls talked for several hours. Chidori learned that Minako was a hostess at a nearby bar, but that her dream was to be a police officer. She also learned that Minako was about her age, loved the color red, and had a burn scar on her leg from a childhood car accident. They would talk about the horrors of the Strega Project in one breath, and their favorite foods the next, neither phased by the tonal whiplash. Chidori, who normally hated talking, found it incredibly easy to be vulnerable with Minako and she ended up telling her things that even Takaya and Jin were oblivious to.</p>
<p>Eventually, once the sun began to set, Chidori stood up with shaky legs. Minako had tried to persuade her into staying the night so that her body could finish healing, but Chidori waved her off. Though Chidori protested, Minako gave her a few hundred yen and a promise to talk to her manager about taking Chidori on as a hostess.</p>
<p>“It would be fun to work together! Plus, I think you’d look super cute in the uniform,” Minako gave her a wink that sent Chidori blushing from her head to her toes. Chidori nodded, her mouth suddenly too dry to form any actual words. Minako just laughed.</p>
<p>On the walk home, Chidori recounted their time together. There was something about Minako that Chidori found absolutely captivating, and that terrified her. Takaya had always warned her about forming bonds with others, and she had never even thought about going against his teachings. </p>
<p>Tingles ran up Chidori’s spine as she thought of Minako’s smile.</p>
<p>
  <em> Attachment is a dangerous game. She will hurt you, my child. </em>
</p>
<p>But Chidori wasn’t listening; she had already decided that Minako was worth any risk.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori had been making great progress in her escape until one of The Chemist’s men got the bright idea to try and shoot her in the leg. The bullet grazed her left calf, and though she only felt a slight warm pressure, it startled her enough that she tripped. She was only on the ground for a few seconds, but that was more than enough time for her pursuers to catch up with her.</p>
<p>The Chemist’s men each took one of her arms and forced her to stand. She struggled as hard as she could, but her efforts proved futile as they resisted her attempted punches and kicks. </p>
<p>The Chemist leaned in close to kiss her on the cheek, before stabbing her with the syringe again. As the rest of the liquid drained into her veins, he tilted her chin up, forcing her to look at him. “No need in trying to escape now, my little Lolita. The drugs in your system will kick in any second so you may as well accept your fate. You are mine to do with as I please.”</p>
<p>The Chemist laughed, loud and deep, and soon the rest of the men present joined him. She hadn’t felt so powerless in years, but she was determined to not give up. She had changed so much since her last encounter with The Chemist and she was not going to go down without a fight. </p>
<p>So, she opened her mouth, and screamed.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Since meeting Minako, Chidori’s life had changed dramatically. She made enough money from working as a hostess with Minako that she rarely turned tricks anymore, only taking the occasional trusted customer when she wanted some extra cash. Minako never failed to make Chidori smile and Chidori found herself excited to live, if only to see Minako again.</p>
<p>However, her relationship with Takaya had also changed. Takaya had grown colder over the past several months and his nihilistic views became more extreme by the day. In the past, whenever he found Chidori harming herself, he’d try to stop her; now, he encouraged it. She had tried to talk to Jin about it, but the older man always brushed her off even though she knew that he was just as concerned as she was. </p>
<p>She had begun to dream about moving in with Minako. It started out as a wishful thought, but the more Chidori considered it, the more she realized how appealing that reality was. They could live together in Minako’s apartment and walk down to the host bar together every night. Chidori would do the cooking and Minako would clean the dishes. Then, they’d go to sleep, cuddled in each other’s arms and-</p>
<p>Chidori blushed and erased those thoughts from her head. She had always known that she was attracted to both men and women, and had never felt the need to shy away from that. However, she also knew that not everyone felt the way that she did, and she would never forgive herself if she let her stupid crush ruin her relationship with Minako.</p>
<p>One night, as Chidori was wiping down the bar, Minako came bouncing through the door with a blinding smile on her face. She grabbed Chidori’s hand and squealed, “You’ll never guess what happened to me today!”</p>
<p>Chidori gave her an exasperated, but fond look, “What happened?”</p>
<p>“I’m getting adopted!”</p>
<p>“...What?”</p>
<p>Minako explained to her that even though she had her own apartment, she was technically a ward of the local orphanage and spent most days there. That day, a man broke in and attempted to kidnap one of the children, but Minako fought him off. When the police arrived on the scene, one of the detectives was so impressed with her that he offered to adopt her on the spot.</p>
<p>Chidori smiled and gave Minako a quick hug, “Wow, Minako! That’s so amazing. I’m so happy for you.”</p>
<p>Minako grinned, but quickly sobered up. She couldn’t quite look Chidori in the eye as she explained, “The problem is that he lives in Miyagi. He was only here to wrap up some business for one of his cases, so when he returns home next week, I’ll be going with him.”</p>
<p>“So, we only have a week together?”</p>
<p>Chidori’s heart sank at Minako’s pained expression. “Actually, we don’t. Since my adoption process is going to be such a quick turnaround, I’ll be needed all week to help fill out paperwork and get ready to move.”</p>
<p>“...This is the last time we’ll ever see each other, isn’t it?”</p>
<p>Minako managed a small nod before tears began to pour out of her eyes. She clutched Chidori tightly, embracing her more intimately than she ever had before. Minako pulled back and stared into her eyes.</p>
<p>Before Chidori realized what was happening, Minako was leaning forward and then they were kissing. Chidori felt like she had been electrocuted, sparks zipping all across her body, the pleasant tingling causing her toes to curl. </p>
<p>The kiss ended as soon as it began. Minako quickly pulled away. She tightly held Chidori’s hand and whispered, “I wish you nothing but the best, Chidori. I’ll never forget you.” </p>
<p>She was gone before Chidori could respond.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>By the time the men thought to put a knife to her throat to get her to shut up, Chidori was hoarse and half conscious. She faintly heard the bartender question The Chemist, asking him if she was more trouble than she was worth. Chidori didn’t hear The Chemist’s response, but whatever it was, it was enough to cause the bartender’s face to turn white and run away. </p>
<p>Chidori wanted to be relieved, but it wasn’t enough. She knew that she was in a hopeless situation, and her chances of survival were decreasing dramatically with every second that passed. She had survived The Chemist so many times, but there was no Medea, no Minako, no other miracle that could save her now. Defeated and dazed, she closed her eyes and was about to surrender to the sedative, when she heard a familiar voice.</p>
<p>“Hey! Let go of her!”</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Minako leaving sent Chidori spiraling into the worst depression she had ever experienced. She distanced herself even further from Takaya and Jin, and her sadness only increased when she realized that they didn’t seem to care. She began to cut herself even more than she already had been, willing to do anything to appease Medea, her friend.</p>
<p><em> That’s right, child. I am your friend. Your </em> only <em> friend. Everyone else will leave you, but I’ll be with you forever. </em></p>
<p>Chidori never went anywhere without her Evoker, as she could barely hear Medea without it. As much as she hated to admit it, Chidori didn’t want to be alone.</p>
<p>It was a normal Thursday when Medea commanded Chidori to go to the train station. Chidori wanted to complain, but as far as Medea’s requests go, this one had become fairly standard. Medea loved how Chidori would squirm as she was forced to listen to the trains come and go, each noise bringing her back to that horrible night.</p>
<p>She had been in the middle of drawing... something, when a young man walked directly into her line of vision. She yelled at him to move, not even bothering to look up. He complied, but she could still feel the heat of his eyes on her. </p>
<p>
  <em> He sees you for what you are: a disgusting whore. </em>
</p>
<p>“What do you want?” she snapped, directing her rage at the strange man instead of her friend.</p>
<p>“Uh, nothing... My bad,” the man gave her a sheepish smile but soon walked off. Chidori rolled her eyes and soon went back to her drawing, the encounter completely forgotten.</p>
<p>Until she saw him again. And again. And again. </p>
<p>Her opinion on Junpei remained mostly the same, even after he confessed to being the leader of that stupid group trying to end the Dark Hour. Junpei was weird; he was always smiling and seemed actually concerned for her when he noticed her arm bleeding and didn’t seem to care that she always pretended to be annoyed with him. He also appeared to be genuinely interested in her art, something that made her feel warmth she hadn’t felt since before Minako left. </p>
<p>When she told Takaya about him, Takaya smiled, crazed and empty, and calmly asked her to take care of him. She froze, but quickly recovered, responding with a simple nod.</p>
<p>Chidori had absolutely no desire to kill Junpei, so she came up with a new plan. She would wait until the night of the full moon and kidnap him. Without his leadership, his group would fail to defeat the Shadow of the month, and the Dark Hour would prevail.</p>
<p>This plan was perfect, and was going incredibly smoothly, until they still managed to complete their mission and Junpei revealed that he wasn’t anything remotely close to their leader. </p>
<p>Chidori felt her anger growing until Junpei stared at her with a deeply pained expression and asked, “Was it all just an act?”</p>
<p>He kept talking, but he sounded like he was underwater. Chidori thought back to all of their past conversations, and came to the conclusion that she had never technically lied to him about anything. She was about to tell him that when the roof doors swung open and the rest of Junpei’s team, or rather the team that Junpei was a part of, ran up to her. She immediately attempted to summon Medea, but lost her balance when Junpei suddenly broke free of his chains and forced the Evoker out of her hands. </p>
<p>In an instant, her calm demeanor crumbled and she screamed for them to give her back her Evoker. But they refused, even after she was firmly held captive in a hospital room. She yelled at her captors, she yelled at the doctors, she yelled at anyone she saw, begging them to give Medea back to her, she didn’t want to be alone, she couldn’t handle the loss of the only real friend she had left-</p>
<p>
  <em> I... I am... Still here... Child... </em>
</p>
<p>Chidori could barely hear Medea’s voice, but it was enough to calm her down. She breathed in deeply and after hours of panicking, finally felt her body relax. She wasn’t alone. She hadn’t been abandoned. She would be fine.</p>
<p>She adapted quickly to life at the hospital. The nurses would give her food and medicine in the mornings, Mitsuru and Akihiko would attempt to question her in the afternoons, and she’d spend hours talking to Junpei in the evening. </p>
<p>Junpei was funny and kind and warm and <em> good </em> and everything that she could never be. Junpei never forced her to talk, and was incredibly skilled at carrying on a one way conversation. She would never admit it, but she loved learning about him, his hobbies, his fears, his dreams. His face was always so honest and open, and she could hardly stand to look at his beautifully bright blue-grey eyes.</p>
<p>It took far too long for her to realize that she had a problem. She missed him desperately and thought about him nearly every second he wasn’t there. She found herself worrying about him all of the time: during the Dark Hour, when she didn’t see him for a few days, when he had an important test. It was horrible to feel this constant fear, this constant desire to make sure he was safe. She hadn’t felt this way since Minako, and even then, Chidori was pretty sure that it was even worse with Junpei.</p>
<p>The next time he visited, she told him to never come back. The pain she felt when she thought about him was too much. Her heart ached at the thought of never seeing him again, but it hurt worse to think about having to live in fear of her inevitable death. She only had two years left; she didn’t want to spend them being a burden to Junpei.</p>
<p>Of course, Junpei didn’t listen to her. He visited her several more times, each time leaving Chidori caught between wanting to yell at him to leave her alone and asking him to stay forever. Instead, she remained silent.</p>
<p>The night that Takaya and Jin broke her hospital passed in a blur. Part of her was relieved to be back with Medea, back to the men who had been her only family for years, back to the familiar, but a small part of her was horrified at this turn of events.</p>
<p>She hadn’t wanted to fight Junpei’s friends, but she did.</p>
<p>She hadn’t wanted to confess her fears to Junpei, but she did.</p>
<p>She hadn’t wanted to see Junpei shot in the chest by the man she had once considered a father, but she did.</p>
<p>Chidori barely had to think about sacrificing her life so that Junpei could live. Her life had been over for years, but his was just beginning. Junpei would go on to play baseball or be a stay at home dad or save the world or all of the above, and though Chidori wouldn’t physically be there to see it, she found comfort in the idea of being with Junpei forever. </p>
<p>With the last of her power, she gave him a dream. A dream where she could be honest with him, tell him her true feelings. She wanted him to know that she was doing this willingly and not out of a warped sense of repayment.</p>
<p>The minute Junpei took his first breath of their new shared life, Chidori felt herself collapse. She had extended all of her energy into saving his life, and though a normal person may have felt sad while dying, she only felt joy. She was in the arms of the man that she loved, and her last sight would be his beautiful eyes.</p>
<p>She looked up at him and tenderly stroked his cheek, “It feels so nice to be with you...”</p>
<p>“Chidori!”</p>
<p>“Thank you... Junpei... I love you.”</p>
<p>Junpei sobbed, tears falling freely from his face onto hers. She gave him a small smile, honest and free, before letting herself succumb to the sweet embrace of death.</p>
<p>
  <b>03.12.11</b>
</p>
<p>She opened her eyes to see Junpei, tired and disheveled, slowly walking towards them. His hands were raised placatingly, but Chidori could tell by his stance that he was prepared to fight if he had to.</p>
<p>The Chemist chuckled as Junpei drew closer, “There’s no need to be angry. You are welcome to join us. I know from experience that she’ll be out long enough for all of us to have at least one or two rounds with her.”</p>
<p>“Shut up, you bastard! Get away from Chidori!” Junpei yelled and reached into his pocket to pull out what looked like a handgun, but Chidori recognized that it was actually just an Evoker. It was enough to convince the men holding her, though, as they both loosened their grip on her to fumble around for their own weapons. </p>
<p>In a flash, Chidori grabbed the knife pressed to her throat by the dagger. A faint heat began to burn on her palm, but she ignored it. She quickly forced herself out of the men’s hands and delivered a swift kick to the crotch of the man on her right, causing him to double over in pain. Before the second man could react, she stabbed the knife into his thigh and grabbed his gun from out of his pocket. She pointed it at The Chemist, right between his eyes.</p>
<p>“Holy shit...”</p>
<p>She faltered at the sound of Junpei’s voice, but quickly recovered when she heard The Chemist’s laughter. Chidori glared at him, “What the hell are you laughing at? You have two guns pointed at you and both of your men are down.”</p>
<p>“I think this whole situation is quite funny. Sure, you managed to evade me this time, but you gave me something that I have been searching for since I met you. This isn’t the last time we’ll be seeing each other, my little Lolita... Or should, I say, <em> Chidori. </em>”</p>
<p>Her eyes widened as The Chemist began to walk away. He knew her name. He could figure out her real identity. He would be able to find her, there couldn’t be that many Chidori’s in Yokohama, she could already feel his cold hands all over her body, smell the acrid smell of blood mixed with cigarette smoke, hear their laughter as they tortured her over and over and <em> over- </em></p>
<p>“Chidori!” Junpei pulled her close to his chest, and it was only then that she realized that she was laying on the cold concrete ground. She must have fallen while she was panicking, the adrenaline pumping through her veins finally subsiding to the sedatives in her bloodstream. She could hear Junpei talking, asking her questions, trying to make sure she was okay, but he seemed so far away. </p>
<p>Chidori was floating away, and even being in Junpei’s arms wasn’t enough to keep her tethered to the ground.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>??.??.??</b>
</p>
<p>Contrary to popular belief, death wasn’t cold. </p>
<p>It wasn’t warm either, but that's not the point. </p>
<p>Death is hard to explain, but certainly not impossible.</p>
<p>Death, like most things she had experienced, was wrapped in white. </p>
<p>Death was lonely. It was endless and sterile and empty and <em> white. </em></p>
<p>Death was boring. It was stagnant and long and tiring and <em> white. </em></p>
<p>Death was painful. It was aching and frustrating and terrifying and <em> white. </em></p>
<p>Death was everything and nothing and in between and <em>white.</em></p>
<p>Death forced her to be trapped with the things that she hated most: the color white and herself.</p>
<p>She could have been dead for minutes or days or hours or years, when, all of sudden, a single sunflower appeared. She tilted her head in confusion as more and more flowers started to appear. Most of them were sunflowers, but there were others too, roses and lilies and carnations and tulips and-</p>
<p>And this shouldn’t be happening.</p>
<p>She was dead.</p>
<p>She was supposed to be dead.</p>
<p>She <em> should </em> be dead.</p>
<p>But, she wasn’t.</p>
<p>She opened her eyes and saw only white.</p>
<hr/>
<p>
  <b>03.13.11</b>
</p>
<p>Chidori woke up in a warm, comfortable bed. The sun was barely up in the sky and light was just beginning to shine through the window. She sat up slowly and stretched, her body feeling like it had been hit by a truck. </p>
<p>It wasn’t until she saw Junpei sleeping peacefully next to the bed in a plastic folding chair that she remembered what had happened. The Chemist had found her. She had been drugged. Junpei saved her.</p>
<p>The Chemist knew her name.</p>
<p>As quickly as she could, she got out of bed and made her way to the window. She quietly opened it and had just gotten her first leg out when she heard Junpei quietly say, “We have a door, you know.”</p>
<p>Chidori sighed and maneuvered her way back inside the apartment. She stared at her bare feet, bruised and bloody from overuse, unable to bring herself to speak. She didn’t know how to begin. Should she apologize? Should she thank him? Should she take a risk and explain everything?</p>
<p>Junpei brought her out of her thoughts by gently tapping her on the arm. She couldn’t help but flinch, and a pained look crossed his face. “I-I’m sorry. Just... Please stay for breakfast. If you want to leave after that, I won’t stop you.”</p>
<p>Chidori gave him a small nod, and cringed as she realized how terrible she smelled. She looked up, meeting his eyes for the first time that morning, and timidly asked, “Can I use your shower?”</p>
<p>“Of course, Chidori,” Junpei gave her a sad smile, “This is still your apartment, too.”</p>
<p>He walked out of the room before Chidori could deny it.</p>
<p>Chidori spent a long while in the shower, trying to wrap her head around the events of the last 24 hours. Her past and present had collided in the worst way possible and she didn’t have a single clue about what she wanted for her future.</p>
<p>
  <em> Well, that’s not true. I want Junpei, but I doubt the feeling is mutual after all of this. He must see by now that it’s a waste of time to love someone like me. </em>
</p>
<p>A few minutes later, she walked out into the kitchen wearing her nightgown and Jin’s sweatshirt, both of which were disgustingly dirty. Junpei gave her a look that she couldn’t quite decipher but soon handed her tray filled to the brim with food. Junpei didn’t cook very often, but when he did, he always made extravagant, traditional food. She had once asked him where he had learned to cook, but he looked away and changed the subject.</p>
<p>They ate in silence for a few minutes until Chidori could no longer stand it and blurted out, “Takaya and Jin are dead, aren’t they?”</p>
<p>“...Yeah.”</p>
<p>Chidori nodded and neither of them spoke for the rest of the meal. Chidori offered to do the dishes, but Junpei merely waved her off. She began to head towards the door and Junpei followed behind her, his expressive face doing little to hide his sadness.</p>
<p>
  <em> You did this to him. You’re the one who hurt him. </em>
</p>
<p>She grabbed the door handle and began to twist it, but before she could open the door, she stopped. She had to tell Junpei what was going on, had to let him know that none of this was his fault. </p>
<p>Chidori turned to look him in the eye, and simply muttered, “You were right.”</p>
<p>“What do you mean?”</p>
<p>“You were right to not show me the sketchbook.”</p>
<p>Junpei’s eyes widened, “No! Chidori, it was wrong of me to hide it from you.”</p>
<p>“It’s wrong that I was allowed to forget everything I did,” she countered before she could think about what she was saying.</p>
<p>“Chidori, what are you talking about?”</p>
<p>“...Nevermind.”</p>
<p>Junpei reached out to grab her hand and didn’t let go when her body tensed. “You can tell me anything, Chidori. Everyone’s done things that they regret, and I promise I won’t judge you for-”</p>
<p>“But you should judge me!” Chidori ripped her hand out of Junpei’s gentle grasp, “I deserve it! I’ve done <em> awful </em> things, Junpei. Irredeemable, unforgivable things.”</p>
<p>“Chidori, I’m sure it’s not as bad as you think. Whatever happened, we can work through it together.”</p>
<p>Chidori stared at Junpei for a long moment. On one hand, she found it incredibly sweet that he was willing to say that, but on the other hand, it showed her just how oblivious her boyfriend, if she could even call him that anymore, was. Her jaw clenched as she realized what she had to do.</p>
<p>“I killed them.”</p>
<p>“...What?”</p>
<p>“The people in my sketchbook. I was the one who killed them,” Junpei tried to cut her off, but she had to keep going, had to tell him everything so that he would understand. “I wanted revenge and Medea needed blood, but that’s not an excuse because I’m the one who killed them. Their deaths are on my hands! I’m a murderer, Junpei!”</p>
<p>She expected Junpei to look at her in disgust, to kick her out immediately, to tell her that he never wanted to see her again. Instead, he gave her a wry smile and said, “I kinda figured that was the case.”</p>
<p>“...What?”</p>
<p>“Well, you lived with two men who ran a murder-for-hire website, so I sort of assumed that you had been involved. I came to terms with the fact that you once killed people a long time ago.”</p>
<p>“And that doesn't disgust you? Or, at the very least, make you not want to be around me?”</p>
<p>Junpei shrugged, “I mean, I don’t condone murder, but you guys were just tortured kids trying to survive. Obviously, that doesn’t justify your actions, but I can understand why you did what you did.”</p>
<p>“You don’t know anything,” Chidori yelled, “I shouldn’t get a free pass just because you care about me. My childhood being shitty doesn’t mean that I don’t deserve to be punished.”</p>
<p>“Chidori,” Junpei’s eyes grew painfully soft and he took a tentative step towards her. “You were just a child who wanted revenge for the literal torture she had been put through. The way you were brought up is so far from normal that it’s not fair to judge you by typical morals.”</p>
<p>Chidori refused to listen to him and just grew angrier, “What about the stealing? What about the drugs? What about-”</p>
<p>“I’m not going to view you differently because you did what you had to do in order to survive.”</p>
<p>“Shut up! Stop trying to defend my actions,” Chidori’s eyes filled with tears, “I-I’m <em> horrible </em>, Junpei. I’ve done every gross and illegal and unforgivable thing you could possibly think of, and then some.”</p>
<p>Junpei gently squeezed her shoulder, “There is nothing that you could tell me that would make me think of you any differently. I promise.”</p>
<p>“Oh yeah? How about the fact that I was a whore?” Chidori spat. For the first time that morning, Junpei looked surprised. A wave of emotions passed over his face, and before he could say anything, Chidori had already begun to go on a rant, her voice cruel and cold.</p>
<p>“Yeah, bet you weren’t expecting that, were you? That’s how I knew those men last night. The Chemist was a client of mine for two years, and I had already been accepting customers for a year before I ever met him. You can try to justify my murders and the theft, but you’ll never be able to deny the fact that I’m used goods. Hell, I was turning tricks the night before I tried to kidnap you. So, how are you going to defend that?!”</p>
<p>Junpei was silent for several minutes, the only sound in the room coming from Chidori’s heavy breathing. She searched his face, looking for any sign of what he was thinking, but his face was uncharacteristically blank. </p>
<p>Eventually, he met her eyes, “...Three years? But, if that’s true, then you were barely a teenager when you were started.”</p>
<p>Chidori didn’t know how to respond to that, so she just gave him a slight nod. </p>
<p>“Chidori...” She had been expecting Junpei to kick her out or attack her or, at the very least, yell at her for a bit, but instead Junpei wrapped her in a hug. He held her like she was glass, and he was terrified that he would break her. He held her like she was precious, and he never wanted to let her go. He held her like he <em> loved </em> her, and for the first time that night, she relaxed into his touch.</p>
<p>“I’m so sorry, Chidori,” Junpei whispered, “I’m so sorry you had to go through any of what you did, but... You were so young. You <em> are </em>so young. You didn’t deserve anything that you had to deal with.”</p>
<p>“...You don’t hate me?”</p>
<p>“Oh, Chidori,” Junpei pulled back so that he was looking her in the eyes, “I could never hate you. I’ll always love you, Chidori.”</p>
<p>The love in Junpei's eyes was overwhelming. He gave her a soft smile and ran his hand lightly over her cheek.</p>
<p>Chidori broke down. </p>
<p>The tears she had been holding back for so long finally spilled over onto her cheeks. She sobbed wildly, taking in large, heaving breaths. It was ugly and messy and <em> real </em>, and Junpei held her through it all. He rubbed small circles on her back and whispered sweet nothings into her ears and didn’t try to get her to stop. He never once tried to change her; he had always embraced her for who she is.</p>
<p>Chidori hadn’t thought it possible, but she fell even deeper in love with him.</p>
<p>A few hours later, they were tangled together on the couch. They didn’t talk very much about what had happened, just enough to clarify that Chidori wasn’t leaving, Junpei wasn’t mad, and that they were still together. </p>
<p>That night, as they snuggled up close together under the covers of their bed, Junpei whispered in her ear, “If you ever want to talk about anything, and I mean <em> anything, </em> just let me know. Whenever you need me, I’ll be here.”</p>
<p>Deep in her heart, Chidori knew that she would never tell Junpei anymore about her past than she already had. She was planning on sweeping all of her recovered memories under the rug, and moving on with her life. She was fine, and she’d be even better once this day was over.</p>
<p>She didn’t tell Junpei any of this, and instead settled on a soft smile and a simple, “Thanks.” Then, she gave him a light kiss and cuddled deeper into his arms. Junpei didn’t say anything, just squeezed her a little tighter. They were together, slotted against each other like the last two pieces of a very,<em> very </em> complicated puzzle.</p>
<p>And, for now, that was enough.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>TRIGGER WARNINGS: Mentions of underage prostitution, rape, drugs, graphic violence, suicidal thoughts and actions, and death of many OCs. If there is anything that you think should be added, PLEASE let me know down below. The last thing I want to do is make someone uncomfortable or trigger them in any way. Please be safe while reading &lt;3</p>
<p>ALSO- Chidori's views do not necessarily reflect my own, specifically regarding sex work. Sex workers are not "dirty" or "disgusting" and deserve to be treated with respect, just like everyone else. Also also: FUCK BELLA THORNE. Okay, moving on.</p>
<p>So, this fic the longest thing I’ve written in the shortest amount of time, but that’s likely because I’ve been planning the events in this fic for literal YEARS. I had started to develop the majority of headcannons soon after P4AU released, as it was only after that game that I started to really ship Junpei and Chidori. From then, it didn’t take very long for me to become obsessed with Chidori, consume every bit of canon and fanon content of her, and then start craving more. </p>
<p>I will be the first to admit that I am not a very good writer. I wish I had a machine that would put what I can make up in my head into writing, but alas, I don’t. Maybe one day in the future I’ll rewrite this fic (or better yet, this whole series), but that day is certainly not today.</p>
<p>Anyways, long note aside, please let me know what you thought of this fic/what you think of this series so far. I have many many MANY more ideas and I’m excited to finally share them with y’all. The next work in this series will focus on Persona 4, specifically Souyo, so get hyped if you are into them!</p>
<p>Also, I will be releasing a Souyo/Yukichie fic that is NOT a part of this universe soon as well. I’ve already written about half of it, and I’m pretty pumped about it. It’s an AU of my favorite (and what I consider, the best) movie of all time. The only hint I’ll give is that its a Barbie animated movie (no I’m not joking.) Feel free to guess in the comments.... Or don’t lol, I don’t care.</p>
<p>Either way, please consider leaving a comment or kudos (or both!) to let me know what you thought of this fic. All feedback is greatly appreciated. Thank you for reading Distant Sky and have a great rest of your day/night :))</p></blockquote></div></div>
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